History

MPI formed in 1995 in response to the growing incidence of mining companies looking overseas for new projects. It is based in Australia but carries out a lot of its work in overseas settings as well as locally.

Focus of Activities

The MPI conducts research and advocacy to ensure mining industries act equitably and sustainably. The Institute works with communities impacted by mining activity, empowering them with knowledge and encouraging wise resource use. It does this through visiting affected areas, monitoring pollution and reporting findings to government and local officials.

MPI assists non-government organisations both locally and abroad with advice on specific campaigns and acts as a watchdog to expose environmental and human rights abuses in the mining industry.

Waste Pollution and Protecting Indigenous Communities

The ongoing Mined Your Own Waste (MYOW) campaign has identified companies who have polluted pristine waterways around the world. Their current work aims to further assist local communities in their struggle to prevent the disposal of mining waste into rivers and oceans, such as the Indigenous Kanak people of New Caledonia in their fight against the Goro Nickel mine. MPI researches the local impacts of waste dumping and raises awareness among decision-makers and financial institutions to try to avoid such plans going ahead.

Locally, MPI has also been active recently in supporting Wiradjuri Traditional Owners in their campaign against Barrick Gold's mining activity at Lake Cowal in New South Wales' central west. MPI is also currently developing an updated website which will include a new resource called The Mining Monitor.

Notable Achievements

MPI has conducted several campaigns in the Papua New Guinea (PNG) region. It staged a community forum on a deep sea mining proposal attended by hundreds of people from the coastal areas of the Bismarck Seas. The successful forum led to the development of the Bismarck Solomon Seas Indigenous Peoples Council, which aims to ensure community involvement in any such mining proposals.

Also in PNG, the Institute has investigated the operations of a mine owned by Canadian company Barrick Gold in Porgera. What followed helped bring the exploitation of indigenous communities and human rights abuses to the attention of the United Nations. MPI has also opposed the operations of the Ramu nickel mine, attending a conference in 2007 that achieved local press coverage. The Ramu nickel mine in Madang province and the dumping of mining waste into nearby oceans are an ongoing campaign.

Governance & Financial

The MPI is headed by a Board of Management elected yearly at an Annual General Meeting. The Executive Director is Techa Beaumont.

Regions / countries which benefit

MPI connects with national networks as well as those in Asia and internationally. It is a member of larger umbrella organisations such as Friends of the Earth International, the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and the Climate Action Network of Australia (CANA).

How to donate

Donations to MPI are tax deductible and can be made online as a one-off or monthly payment. MPI also encourages the participation of volunteers and interns to assist with its important work. The institute is a non-profit and as such does not receive any funding from the government, relying on the financial support of its members and donors.